Seven meetings on a Friday and the weight of our money lands at Epsom. We have four runners there, all of them carrying our biggest stakes, which tells you where the confidence sits today. The rest of the country fills in around it, but if there is one card to follow start to finish, it is the Downs.
Respond and Legacy Link head the Epsom charge for us, both single-figure prices we are happy to back to win rather than play safe each way. Man Of La Mancha and Boiling Point round out the quartet, the latter at a fraction bigger and worth an each-way saver. We rarely line up four at one track with this kind of conviction, so take the hint.
Away from Epsom the day spreads wide. Goodwood gives us Salamanca City in the 8:12, and she looks the standout. She stands clear of these on the form, the seven pound claim eases what would be a career-high mark, and the ground is exactly what she wants. James Fanshawe sends her out from a kind draw, and the only question is whether she sees out the extra furlong. We think she will.
Thirsk is where the value hides. Toptime in the 2:50 is the one we keep coming back to at a double-figure price. He is drawn to grab an easy lead and dictate from the front, and he proved he can make every yard when he did exactly that at Nottingham last summer. The ground holds no fears. A long absence is the worry, but at the odds we are happy to forgive it. King Of Berkshire is a much warmer order in the 4:10, short enough that we keep him to a straight win bet.
Over at Bath, Revich in the 9:00 gets conditions that could not suit him better. All seven of his wins have come on good or softer, he has a fair draw at the trip, and his recent profile is on the up. A sound each-way play to close the evening.
Yesterday rewarded the patient among you. Three winners from five, with Uncle Liam landing at 7.0, Nanoscience obliging at 3.75, and Sail On Sailor following up at 3.25. Booziebrunch filled a place to round off a tidy afternoon.
Plenty to get stuck into, then. Epsom for the serious money, Thirsk and Bath for those willing to chance a bigger price. We will see how it lands.